


Stained Love

by Gallagher8



Series: Josephine O'Connell [4]
Category: The Mummy Series, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2019-10-18 08:18:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 22,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17577239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gallagher8/pseuds/Gallagher8
Summary: Continuation of my series the Mummy with Josephine Carnahan. Based off The Mummy and the Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Follow the badass Josephine and Rick O'Connell as they travel to China and find Victoria fighting along side Alex as college dropouts to see the world and find adventure as their parents did. How will Evelyn and Ardeth react to find Alex has dropped out of college to pursue dangerous artifacts of the Dragon Emperor? Read and find out!





	1. The Dragon Emperor Story Time

(There are words after the long intro so make sure to read it all.)

"Long ago, a mythical battle between Good and Evil played out in ancient China. The country was torn by civil war with many Kingdoms struggling, for land and power. But one King, had the ruthless ambition to make himself Emperor by the sword. The other rulers hired assassins to kill that king before he could conquer them all. Kingdom to Kingdom, his armies swept away everything in it's path. And anyone who resisted, met a terrible fate. The country was his. He was now Emperor, of all unto heaven. He enslaved his conquered enemies and forced them to build his great wall and when they were dead or useless, he had them burried beneath it. The Emperor's mystics', taught him mastery over the five elements. Fire, water, earth, wood and metal. His power seemed without limit. He was the Master of millions', but like the lowliest peasant he could not stop growing old. He needed to defeat, his last enemy, Death itself. One day news came, of a powerful witch who was rumored to know, the secret to eternal life. He ordered General Ming, his oldest friend and trusted ally, to find her. The witch was named Zi Juan and she was nothing like the General expected. No man was to touch her she was his. On the western border, stood the Monastery of Tzu Fang there was housed, the greatest library in the ancient world. And Zi Juan was sure, the secret to eternal life was here. This is a key. It was the long lost "Oracle Bone" a collection of all the mystical secrets, of the ancient world. The Emperor's answer was here along with other magic, beyond imagining. She casted the spell in "Sanskrit" an ancient language, that the Emperor did not understand. She wanted to be with General Ming but that was not what the Emperor had in store for her. So instead she cursed them. The curse must never be lifted or the Emperor will rise again, to enslave all of man-kind. On that dark day, there will be nothing and no one, to save us."

I finished the story happily smiling at our 'daughter' of whom was sleeping currently. I had been reading her different stories of 'mythical' descent. I reached out to stroke her blonde hair lovingly. Victoria wasn't really our daughter we had fostered her, per say, but we treated her like our own. I wasn't sure on having kids with Rick but eventually caved in, meeting him halfway. She was going on about 8 years old at this point and had taken an interest in Chinese history. I had been reading her Egyptian stories since she fell into our arms and she absolutely loved them but now she was onto her next obsession which was China. I looked up from her and to the door of her room where I found Rick leaning against the frame. I got up slowly and walked over to him closing the door behind me.

"You sure reading her those stories won't give her nightmares?" He asked me as we were out in the hallway heading to the library where Evy could be found after she had put Alex to bed.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, she loves them." I told him baffled at his words as I made my way to the room, Rick following my every move. Evy had decided to move back for a bit with Ardeth in tow as he was taking a bit of a break from his Medjai duties. Alex was happy to be home to say the least he particularly enjoyed being able to talk to someone around his age. Victoria was 8 years old and Alex 9 making them only a year apart they shared their love for history together.

"Hey Eves, how's Alex doing with the whole lack of adventure?" I asked her sitting down in the chair opposite her as Rick went to go grab a drink from the fridge.

"He's unbearably researching anything else he might be able to find to adventure." She rolled her eyes cracking a smile. He was just like her at her age.

"Of course, just like his mother." I told her laughing. Ardeth entered the room not too long after Rick got back with some beer and wine for us all.

"I have to say, I hate just sitting around like normal people." I told everyone looking off into the distance of my terribly cataloged library. Evy laughed soaking up the room with her cheery laughter.

"Some down time is good for us, don't you think?" Rick asked me. I knew where he was getting at as he side looked me. He was wondering if I was regretting taking in Victoria.

"Of course it is but it's not in my nature to just sit around. Have you seen me ever just take it easy Richard?" I asked him getting annoyed at his underlying questions. He didn't answer just instead scoffed and looked to Ardeth. Suddenly, our house phone started to ring I quickly answered it hoping to stop it before the kids woke up. I walked to the kitchen where the phone was, quickly answering it.

"Hello?" I asked. It was around 10pm who would be calling at this hour?

"Yes this is her." I answered as they asked me if I was Josephine O'Connell.

"We need some help from the front." They told me. I was intrigued.

"How much help?" I asked the unknown caller.

"I need you to come train, British Army. Shouldn't take but a couple months." I smiled the adventure beckoning to me.

"Alright. I'll meet you at HQ in the morning." I told them. Happy I took the job, I needed this. Rick wouldn't understand but I needed something other than sitting around the house doing nothing and wagering with Jonathan on how to get his little business started. I strode back into the room where Rick, Evy, and Ardeth were sitting. Rick looked at me slowly his eyes asking who that was.

"It was nothing. Wrong number." I winced internally knowing lying to them wouldn't help my cause but I needed to get away for a bit.

"Bit of a conversation for a wrong number." Evy questioned I brushed it off and headed up the stairs.

"I'm going to bed." I told them as I made my way to Rick and I's room. I heard a knock as I started getting ready for bed.

"Yes?" I asked as the person behind the door twisted the knob. I looked in the mirror to see Evy.

"Joe, I know when your hiding things and so does Rick." She stated slowly.

"Yes, I know." I sighed going back to brushing my hair.

"Training?" she asked me knowing exactly what had taken place. I turned around.

"How did you know?" I asked her she ignored my question.

"You seemed happy to get away, listen, I know Rick will understand. How long is it for?" She asked me.

"A couple months but it's here in Britain so I mean I can drive back when needed. I know since we have Victoria now he doesn't want me to leave as often but it's only a couple months I just figure not telling him is the easier way to go." I told my sister as she went to sit with me.

"He'll understand but I support you 100%. I know he won't like it. But he'll get used to it. But I can also help take care of Tori." She told me.

"You've always done whatever you please, he knows he can't stop you once your minds made up." She said comforting me.

And that's just what I did I left early the next morning after Rick and I had fought for a bit. He agreed to it as long as I came back often which I promised I would but who knew. I just didn't want to feel suffocated and I really didn't want to be stuck in the same place spinning my wheels. I have forever been a drifter and those qualities did not support a normal life. But I knew Tori could handle it with Rick by her side. And even if it wasn't Rick she had Evy and Jon. I smiled as I closed my house, locking the door behind me. I made my way to my car as I heard the door open back up and footsteps walking towards me.

"Joe. Wait. You forgot something." I heard Rick's voice behind me. He had Tori's hand in his as she was now awake.

"Hi sweetie. I'll see you soon, okay?" I told her, she nodded. I opened my car door and gave her a huge hug. I stood back up to see Rick looking sad.

"You'll see me soon it's not like I'm sneaking off to go fight a war." I told him as he grabbed my face and kissed me slowly and passionately. The spark between us reignited like the first time he had kissed me. He let me go after a couple seconds.

"You better not. I love you and if you do I will come find you." He told me as he stepped away.

"I love you too, I'll see you guys soon." I told them as I drove off ready to train some enlistee soldiers.


	2. Early Homecoming

Authors note: I'm looking for a beta who maybe wants to help with what direction this will be going in. Also let me know if you like the light angst between Rick and Joe because if so I can try to write more of that.

Gallagher8

I had decided to come home early to surprise Evy and them it'd been almost a decade and I'd been all over the map helping train troops and get them ready for battle. Rick had accompanied me for a short time but went back and forth between the decision. I visited as much as I could when I wasn't needed for training. Tori had started college and was ready to get away from her parents as we spoiled her to no end, I'd flown her out to see me multiple times as I wanted her to get her fix of adventure in. However, I was ready for another adventure; Rick had finally come to terms with the fact that I was doing this with or without him. I twisted my wedding ring around my finger as the car neared where Evy was doing her book reading she had published 2 I believe. She had mailed me copies but I didn't want to read about our lives, I had lived it. She published it as fiction but the world knew of our travels the twist was she had changed our names. I got out of the car thanking the driver for the ride I straightened my uniform and waltzed into the packed book store.

"Mrs. Bay we're all dying to know is the Scarlett O'Keef character really based on you?" A woman asked her she looked like she was the leader of a fangroup of some sort.

"Actually I'd say it's based off me." I answered from the back, eyes turning towards me as I stayed planted taking off my hat.

"Josephine!! What're you doing here!? You weren't due back til another week or so!" Evy said as she ran up to me her taking her posh hat off her head as she did so. I smiled at her, she'd changed a bit, making me wonder what happened to Rick. If he'd changed his aesthetic too. Yes, of course I'd seen him just not a ton or as frequently as I'd liked to. I had been whisked off to fight a bit but I just didn't relay those details to the family, they would have a cow.

"I came in to surprise you! It looked like it worked." I smiled at her as she gave me a hug.

"You might wanna address your fans and then we can go back to the house." I mumbled into her ear.

"Oh yes of course, any other questions?" She asked the group and the room flooded with 'Mrs. O'Connell's and Mrs. Bay's'. Evy picked some random girl from the crowd and she asked,

"Is your life today as exciting as it was before the war?" I looked to Evy expecting her to answer her smile faded a bit and she looked at me.

"I wish my life were that exciting now. I should've taken my sisters lead and tried to get busier but here I am writing about our story." She said to them. I nudged her: what the hell?? Was life really that bad? I mean we'd sent Alex and Tori off to college which made the house less crowded but was it really that boring without them? We'd done it before the kids came into the picture. I looked at her questioningly. She closed her book reading and fans with a simple thank you so much and see you next time before she ushered me outside and to the car.

"Oh my goodness Josephine Rick is going to be so happy to see you, he's been trying to fish, he's bloody horrible at it." Evy informed me it'd been a month or so since I'd seen Rick he visited frequently with Tori so it made life easier but now I was home for a while until the next job came around. I had decided I'd been away far too long and I missed them with all my heart as much as adventure beckoned to me I wanted my family back. It had felt like time stood still as Evy unlocked the door to our house.

"Rick I've got a surprise for you!" She sang out not knowing where he was off to.

"If it's not my wife I don't really care Evelyn." Rick said as he rounded the corner his eyes met mine, blue meeting hazel. He froze giving me that look he had when he had seen me dressed in the egyptian garb that made me absolutely melt.

"Oh my god, you're here!!!" Rick smiled as he ran up and lifted me, spinning me around happily. He set me down and immediately my lips were covered with his. His hands tangled in my hair as he deepened the kiss.

"Alright I'll check on dinner." Evy smiled and walked away. Rick broke away moments later.

"What're you doing here?? I thought you had another week or so?" He questioned me.

"Well I wanted to see you darling. I missed you a lot." I told him pulling him back to me for a quick peck.

"I missed you too." I leaned back before he could kiss me again and saw what appeared to be a fish hook imbedded in his neck.

"Rick. Is that a fish hook in your neck?" I asked him skeptical. I laughed when he rolled his eyes and nodded clearly having heard this before.

"What's with the uniform I thought you weren't fighting?" He asked me as he started to unbutton my over shirt.

"I ended up getting roped into a couple months of combat." I told him slowly as his hands started to travel up my white undershirt. I smiled missing his intimate touches as his hand slide over my bra feeling me up.

"Rick." I breathed out needing him to stop so I could go change.

"Hmm..?" he questioned as he was peppering my neck with kisses.

"Let me get this fish hook out of your neck. Also I need to go change these clothes are rather uncomfortable." I whispered into his ear as he was still kissing my neck. I felt him chuckle against my skin.

"Fine but we'll finish this later." He pulled away from me his hand grabbing mine, he rubbed his thumb against my wedding ring.

"You know, I actually have a surprise for you as well." He smiled, I squinted at him.

"For me? What for?" I asked him completely taken back.

"Just because I've been missing you." He smiled and started to lead me up the stairs to our room.

"I see you've hired butlers?" I asked him as we made our way to our bedroom as I saw some of the classy men pass us.

"I did. We had the money so I figured why not since it's just Evy, Ardeth and I... And now you once again." He told me as he opened the door to our room. It was just as I had left it but man was it good to be home and not sleeping on the ground or a cot of some sort. I went straight to the bathroom to get the medical kit to take the hook out of Rick's neck. I sat him down on the bed as I quickly pulled it out and cleaned the area. I threw the hook in the kit.

"Ouch, Joe." He complained as I flopped down on the bed. I took my dress uniform shirt off finally being able to breath. He rolled on top of me looking into my eyes. He started to kiss my neck sucking and nipping at the skin I closed my eyes enjoying the feeling. Suddenly, he stopped and rolled off me. Sensing the movement around me I rapidly popped my eyes back open to see Rick at the side of the bed with a tiny box in hand. He got down on one knee just like he had when he'd originally proposed to me. I propped myself up on my elbows and gave him a weird look as if to ask what he was doing.

"Joe I wanted to do something special for you, so I decided why not upgrade the ring I originally bought you." My mouth dropped open. No he didn't.

"Josephine Rose O'Connell... I have dreamed about this since I met you. I've told you multiple times I knew from the moment I met you, I love you. And that was only day 1. I know we've gone through rough patches but those are the makings of a great relationship. The fact we got through the tough arguments makes us one of a kind. I wanted to do something special so I built a ring with the help of a local jeweler that's more you I'd say. I really hope you love it angel." He opened the box. And inside was a beautiful wedding ring. Shaped like an oval with dazzling diamonds surrounding the centered stone.

Shaped like an oval with dazzling diamonds surrounding the centered stone

"Richard O'Connell you have outdone yourself." I whispered out reached out for his hand and pulling him in towards me hugging him and kissing him fully.

"Try it on." He mumbled against my lips. I pulled away from him and he slipped my current band off my finger and replaced it with the new ring.

"Oh my god, Rick it's beautiful." I smiled at him loving the vintage style ring. He kissed me happily leaning into me.

"Alright, get dressed dinner should be ready, we're having fish... That I caught." He smiled at me proudly getting on the bed and laying down beside me. I groaned walking into my closet grabbing some pants and a button up shirt and quickly changed into them. Honestly, all I wanted was to have some quality time with my husband without the rest of my family around to bother us.

"Tori has sent a couple letters for you and I but I didn't want to open them until you were here. Pretty sure she knew that. We haven't gotten anymore since then I don't think." He got them out of his drawer by the bed and handed them to me.

"Dinner's ready!!" Evy shouted up to us knowing where we were.

"Coming!!" I shouted back to her. I put the letters in my waistband as I grabbed Rick's hand and led him back downstairs. Evy was filling up some glasses with champagne as we sat around our huge dining room table. Ardeth was no where to be found and she hadn't mentioned him ever since I'd been home but she seemed alright. Curiousity made me wonder if he'd left her. My thoughts were interrupted when Evy raised her glass started to toast something.

"Here's to retirement." I scoffed laughing at Evy and Rick's clear unsatifaction, they were clearly not happy here at all. I had told Rick that I could get him a job training but he turned it down sprouting some type of bullshit. Instead he opted for a month or so to train the army alongside me. Paid of course. I justified it with some sort of PTSD with Benny. But generally what I've noticed is that you have to throw yourself back into things that scare you, not that he's scared or anything. He thought he was going to be happy here living a smaller life with less adventure. But the tension between those two about the talk of retirement steered my thoughts that they were not happy at all.

"May we stay this happy forever." Evy continued. I laughed out loud at that moment. Both Rick and Evelyn were quiet they didn't know what to do. Before they both ended up cracking a smile and joining in with me at how silly this was.

"Still no letters from Alex. I wrote him 3, in the last month." Evy explained to us.

"Well, what'd you expect? The only time you hear from the kid is when he's getting kicked out of college, or he needs more money." Rick said with a hint of disdain in his voice. I frowned is that what Tori would write him as well? They'd gone to the same college I wouldn't find it surprising if they were out looking for their next adventure.

"I'm sure, he's just buried in his studies." Evy replied to him sounding doubtful but determined that was the case. Rick gave her his signature, 'really?' look his eyebrow raised as he questioned her.

"So, how did your book-reading go?" Rick asked her taking my hand in his once again.

"Oh fine, thank you." Evy replied sounding distant.

"Until they ask me, will there be another Mummy adventure..." She said. I looked at her.

"But you did promise the publisher a third book." I told her unhappy that she did because we had no idea when or if that day would ever come.

"I know... But I spend my nights, staring at a blank page, completely blocked." She replied looking down at her napkin.

"I'm just going to sit at that typewriter, until something exciting comes out." She said to Rick and I. Just in time for the awkward conversation to stop the waiters brought in our plates.

"Thank you." Evy told them as they placed the dishes in front of us and lifted the lid.

"Oh... trout! How lovely!" She smiled happily, I saw the waiter give Rick a weird look.

"I'm so happy you found something, that doesn't involve guns." Evy told him. I laughed there was no damn way. Just as Evy took a bite she bit down on something hard. She pulled a bullet out of her mouth. I looked at Rick knowingly.

"Rick... The least you could do was fish those out of the fish beforehand." I told him laughing as Evy gave him a glare. After eating around the bullet that was imbedded in my fish I was feeling tired as all hell. I headed up to bed with Rick right behind me as Evelyn went to go write her novel using pure fiction that hadn't happened yet. Once I got into the room I was pushed up against the door Rick in front of me, his eyes searching mine for a reason to stop. I didn't give him one I just kissed him with as much force and passion as he had when he pushed me against the door. His hands were all over me within seconds, he decided he didn't want to deal with my shirt anymore so he quite forcefully ripped it off, buttons going everywhere. His lips attached to my collarbone.

"Rickkk I liked that shirt." I complained as he pulled back a little and gave me a smirk.

"We'll buy you another one honey." He said before he went to work getting my bra off. He took his time happily kissing me all over. Before I knew it we were naked in bed and falling asleep after a good couple rounds of sex. Rick was tracing patterns on my arm as he spooned me.

"It's been so long since I've been able to hold you like this." He smiled kissing my shoulder.

"I know; I've missed you so much." I smiled closing my eyes and sighing as he traced.

"I love you Josephine O'Connell. God, I love the way your name sounds just everything about you. Thank you for coming home early." I heard him say as he settled in beside me to fall asleep.

"I love you too Rick." I said back to him and soon sleep took over and I was asleep dreaming about the good old days back in Egypt when I had first met the love of my life.


	3. Victoria O'Connell

Inspiration for this character goes to slytherclaw on Quotev . Congratulations on winning the contest for the O'Connell's kid!! Hope you like her!

Gallagher8

I had joined Alex in China, ditching school to excavate and attempt to find the Dragon Emperor's tomb. My mum used to read me stories all about it, she had left when I was younger to go persue more adventure, I can't say I blamed her. Of course when I was younger I used to dream of adventure and now I was living it!! I couldn't believe it, of course when my parents find out they will be mad that I dropped out of college for this find, but I wanted my name on something just like theirs. I had propped myself up on a post near where Alex was thumbing through my Aunt Evy's old book that contained legends of the Dragon Emperor. I was beginning to think this was a lost cause and we should just get back to England before our parents found out about where we were. A couple semesters wouldn't be too terrible to make up, just kidding yes it would be horrible I rolled my eyes just thinking of the indescribable work.

"Don't worry, we'll find the entrance today." Alex told me looking over to me smiling reassuringly.

"Li Tung, what's for lunch?" He asked walking over to the older Chinese man.

"Noodle soup." The man answered in Chinese.

"Very good." Alex replied after he had tasted the soup. I followed him my arms crossed not happy at all we had made very little progress here and I just wanted to find something interesting for once, of course we'd found small artifacts but nothing concrete to suggest the existence, so far there was a whole lot of sand and nothing.

"Good, Professor Wilson's back." Alex mumbled looking through his binoculars stopping just short of where our professor was getting off his horse.

"You're a couple of days late, Professor." He smiled at the old man getting settled back on the ground from a supposedly long ride.

"What's new Alex? He's always been late." I told him sarcastically but with a smile on my face so it didn't look like I was insulting the man who was funding this. He laughed a little.

"I was beginning to think; you'd run into bandits." Alex told him. As he shook the professors hand.

"Oh, my dear fellow, thank you for your concern." The man smiled back at Alex and I.

"You thirsty?" Alex asked him removing his water from his waistband and handing it to the man.

"Oh yes, please, thank you." He guzzled the water happily. I rolled my eyes, can we just get on with it. I followed a little behind them as we walked toward the excavation sight.

"You really are Rick and Josephine O'Connell's daughter." He looked behind himself to me. I stifled a laugh I had definitely picked up a bit of their personalities as I grew up.

"Yeah, well, hopefully after today... They'll be known as Victoria O'Connell's parents." Alex spoke up from beside me. I rolled my eyes, I wasn't trying to upstage them like he was. He really had some sort of disdain for his parents. His dad had left them multiple times to go back to Egypt to do whatever he did and his mother was well she was Aunt Evy. I don't know why he felt the need to cut them out of his life he really hadn't had a bad life at all. I was just happy having someone take me in like the O'Connell's had. Don't get me wrong I loved Alex but he could be a lot of ego and an obnoxious know it all.

"What a powerful face! When I told my colleagues', at the Museum that you two had discovered the Colossus, they were thrilled. Yeah, however..." The old professor trailed off as we reached our overlook.

"I know, when I'm gonna get in that Tomb?" Alex said his smile leaving his face.

"Ah... don't let the buggers get you down." He told him reassuringly.

"It was you who discovered the Bembridge journal and with it, you discover the Emperor." He looked to me applauding my actions.

"Aunt Evy's journal, don't forget she helped us whether she knew it or not." I said in a sing-song voice.

"I have complete faith in you two." He continued.

"Thank you, Professor. Thanks, for believing in us." Alex said for the both of us giving me a look as if to shut it. I can't say I'd even said anything it was like he could read my thoughts. Ugh, that boy.

"We found it!" We started to hear people shouting.

"I think they found it!" I whispered, unbelievably. I didn't think we would find it today.

"We found it! We found the door!" Alex shouted grabbing me in a hug happily. My smile didn't leave my face I had faith but not that much faith that we would find it. We had been at this for a month. We quickly walked down to the entrance grabbing a couple flashlights, a gun and a couple of my knifes on the way. We walked down the desolate steps that nobody had probably entered in a couple thousand years. I looked around the dust covered kingdom happily smiling. As I was caught up in my awe I heard Alex shout,

"Watch out!" He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me out of the way from getting crushed by some ancient booby trap.

"I guess; he didn't want any houseguests." I mumbled under my breath annoyed brushing dust off myself.

"No." Alex said laughing at my words. We walked further into the tomb our crew behind us slowly creeping up with us.

"Oh my god look at the dragons!! They're absolutely beautiful." I smiled dusting off one of them and examining it.

"Tori we can examine later just stay with us." Alex told me as I stepped away from the sculpture and joined Wilson and Alex again. Alex got out his gun spotting a figure leaned up against a column in front of us.

"Alex he's dead no need to pull out the weapons just yet." I said walking forwards as an evil idea popped into my head. I got in front of the dead guy and screamed at the top of my lungs then started laughing as I saw their faces flood with fear. I couldn't help myself as I saw the guy's reaction Alex ran forwards ready to fight whatever it was.

"Toriiii, god damn it, don't do that!!" He said gasping for breath after the scare.

"It's Colin Bembridge." I breathed out about to hug the now skeletal version of him. I decided against it and grabbed Alex's arm out of excitement instead. Alex took the skeletons helmet off rather abruptly and those skeletal eyes looked right back at him as his head rolled off his body.

"Alex!" I shouted at him releasing his arm and smacking him instead.

"Dumb ass, have some respect. He went searching for this Tomb, 70 years ago. It's left here as a warning." I told my audience. Alex winced but it was only noticeable to me.

"Unfortunately, this is not the dead man, that's gonna make us famous. Let's keep moving." Wilson spoke. He was starting to get on my nerves.

"You know... Fame isn't everything or something like that.. This in itself is a great find for the world of archeology." I snapped at him. He rolled his eyes at me and started walking down another set of stairs. The ceiling opened suddenly sand was pouring through it at different intervals down the corridor as I stood still near the body. Alex was on the stairs with our idiot professor. Suddenly, light was shown on thousands of sculptured warriors of the emperor. They were there for him to command when he awakened. I walked down the stairs meeting my brother and the professor.

"Look at it, Alex. It's amazing!" The professor breathed out happy he was finding something he actually wanted to find.

"Holy shit." I smiled. Damn if my parents could see me now. I started to move down through the length of the army, admiring the fallen soldiers in all their glory.

"Look at this, not one the same, this is incredible." I whispered to Alex who was in front of me.

"Are you happy now?" Alex asked me smirking back at me. I looked at him unable to say words as I was too awestruck by our next find. Suddenly, I heard a scream from beside me. One of our crew stepped on a booby-trap releasing some dust into his face laced with some chemicals laced in. His face started to... Melt.

"Chu Wah!" Alex yelled as he raced to the mans side to try to help. But we all knew it was no use. As he kneeled down I heard some gages click into place.

"Alex... Something's happening." I spoke aloud to warn him. I noticed some arrows move out of the walls and start shooting. I quickly started running one of our crew members right behind me. Everyone followed me as they realized what was happening. I sprinted as fast I could, I knew some of us would not make it out of here but I was not planning on being one of those fateful few. I picked up my pace as the arrows were at my heels. I didn't want to look back but I knew other things were happening too.

"DUCK!!" I heard Alex yell as he was behind me by a couple lengths. I did so just as I did a steal blade flew by my head decapitating an army member next to me. There were no more noises I slowed my pace as Alex grabbed my coat pulling me next to a horse. I stumbled back into his chest. I turned back seeing our last crew member had been decapitated by one of the flying blades. Shit. We'd lost too many already.

"Alex, maybe we should go back." I whispered to him as he wasn't that far from me.

"No, Tori we already made it this far, we can't go back." He looked into my blue eyes pushing my blonde hair behind my ear. He noticed what I was looking at behind him and turned. Just as he was about to go running towards the decapitated friend I grabbed the back of his coat as Wilson came up and grabbed his shoulders.

"No! Alex." The professor spoke trying to stop him.

"We'll mourn them later. We can't do this right now." I said struggling with his strength.

"No, no, don't! Stop! Alex, stay here! Come on! Danger comes with the territory, you know that better than anyone. Alex!" He tried again as we fought against Alex.

"Alex as much as I hate to admit, he's right, we knew this when we signed on, so did they. They were my friends too." I told him.

"Alright. Alright." He stopped fighting and relaxed.

"That's a good chap." The professor said. As he moved us forwards into the tomb. We walked further towards the middle.

"All the warriors are facing into this point." Alex started talking to distract himself.

"They're still waiting to get orders from the Emperor." I cut him off amazed.

"Then where is he?" Wilson asked impatiently.

"You don't think some bloody grave robbers, have beaten us to the prize, do you?" The ignorant professor asked.

"No, he's still here, let's see.." Alex started to look around the place. I walked up to the center where this round table was.

"This is the Feng Shui compass." Alex said what I was thinking. He started to pour his water into the gold basin the arrow head started to move. I got out my compass, Alex looked over my shoulder to take a glance at where North was.

"Okay... now! This... this is true north." He moved around the table to where my compass was pointing.

"The Feng Shui compass, is set the opposite direction. Alright, we need to realign it." I smiled he was starting to sound just like his mother.

"Right." The professor happily smiled as he grabbed one end of the movable table. Alex and him both realigned it while I was busy just watching. Suddenly, the ground caved from beneath me.

"AGH!!" I yelled out unexpectedly both Alex and I fell through the crack. All the way... To the bottom. Fuck. I landed hard on some more bones.

"Alex!... Tori, speak to me! You alright? Alex!" Our professor yelled for us. Good to know the bastard cared a little.

"You okay Tors?" Alex asked me before I jumped up from seeing a rat, oh my god.

"Yeah I'm alright." I looked up at him and shivered I fucking hated rats.

"We're fine!" Alex yelled back up to him as he threw a flashlight my way and turned his own on. I fumbled with mine for a hot second but got it working. I saw more horses I walked near Alex to the side of the horses and carriage.

"Tell me, have we found the Emperor? Alex? What is it?" The obnoxious motherfucker would not quit. I wish he would just shut up!

"We've got one of the greatest finds, since King Tut." Alex yelled up to him laughing you could really hear his British side coming out now. I crouched near the carriage dusting it off on the side crouching down to read the inscription.

"He is awakening. All mortals will despair..." I started to read off the side.

"It's definitely him!" Alex yelled up once again.

"Do we really have to put Wilson's name on the find??" I asked him.

"Wow... He had his concubines buried alive with him. Egotistical bastard." Alex said looking behind me to the bodies on the floor ignoring my question, I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, Professor Wilson, you wanna come down and take a look? Or you, huh... so overwhelmed, you can't talk. I turned around suddenly aware of a presence near us.

"ALEX!" I yelled he spun around so quickly and ducked the mystery person's knife with ease as they started to attack him. I started to get out my gun shooting around her to scare her off hopefully. Alex tried to get his gun out but got it kicked away. I shot more around the person. Alex I swear to god if you die and I have to explain this... I started to think. She ran off into the shadows as she realized there were two people to fight off. Alex grabbed his gun off the ground and shot at her with me. He ended up shooting a rope that probably, most likely held the doors open.

"God damn it Alex!! You probably trapped us in here!" I spoke as he backed up towards me and looked off into the direction of where the mystery woman ran off to.

"Wilson!" Alex shouted not helpfully. This is the one time I would want Wilson to speak, c'mon. Then out of no where she reappeared still going after Alex. She jumped off multiple fine artifacts and finally had him pinned down near the door. I didn't feel like saving him just yet so I just stood back and let him handle her as I put my gun away. She jumped on top of him and pushed him to where the door was closing she was going to decapitate him. What is with these people and decapitation? I pulled out my knives ready to help him.

"Tori a little help!" He shouted to me as he was getting strangled. As the door was a few feet above him I quietly came up behind the mystery woman I wrapped my arm around her neck my blade against the skin of her neck.

"Leave us alone and I won't slit your neck." I told her she stopped what she was doing immediately and moved off Alex, he got out of the way and nodded at me I pushed her in a direction away from us. Just as she looked at the both of us standing side by side with her own blade poised to throw, Wilson started shooting at her. She hoisted herself up the crevasse and ran off through the soldiers. Jesus fuck. Who was that?? Alex climbed up and helped me out when he could.

"Let's go, Professor. We've got a lot a work to do." Alex said patting the old man on the shoulder. He smiled and we walked ourselves out of the tomb. Damn, today was a lot, time for a nap I thought.


	4. Imhoteps

"First of all, I just want to say, The Foreign-office appreciates what all you did, during the war. But, I've been sent to offer you, one last assignment." The man sitting before Evy, Rick and I said while drinking the tea we had offered him upon entering our home. 

"I'm afraid, we've retired from the espionage game." Evy tried to continue with her façade she was putting on. I stifled a laugh sitting on the armchair of the loveseat where both her and Rick sat.

"You two may have, but I'm more than willing to hear the man out. So what is the mission? I'm sure they'd love to hear the objective, maybe it will spark some old love for the adventure." I told the man hoping to sway both my husband and sister back into the game.

"We need you to courier this to Shanghai." He told us as he opened a decretive box to reveal a beautiful diamond egg.

"It's a nice piece of ice." Rick said his jaw dropping a tad as he viewed the egg.

"It's the 'Eye of Shangri-la'" Evy said smiling happily, I hadn't seen her this happy since Egypt. Fucking finally.

"If you believe the legend, it points the way to the pool, of eternal life." Evy continued, I could sense the yearn for adventure in her voice.

"Yes, it was smuggled out of China in 1940 and now the government, would like to return it to the Shanghai Museum as a sign of good faith, to the Chinese people. And with your expertise in the field, we naturally thought of you." The suit continued. Made sense, with all the good press and whatnot.

"Oh, we would be so flattered!" Evy burst out of her shell for the first time in a while.

"But I had promised my husband I would calm down after the war." Evy kept talking and making excuses that she couldn't possibly take on the mission.

"Except your husband hasn't been seen in a while and I believe still has his own job where he has left you." I mumbled under my breath, she gave me a look of disappointment and quickly shook her head as if to sway my concerns.

"I see. Well, I must admit, I'm a little disappointed. First of all, China is very dangerous there are a lot of factions that would love to get their hands, on the eye. In lesser hands the eye could be lost forever." I rolled my eyes at his badgering that wasn't needed. He already sold me so I was going regardless on Rick or Evy's decision.

"Well we can't let that happen, it would be terrible, for the world..." Rick said.

"You know, she has a brother that lives in Shang..." Rick continued for the both of us, I didn't need a reason to go I wanted to go purely for the reason of going.

"Jonathan!" Evy exclaimed excited Rick had made that statement.

"Yes, he owns a Night-club, if I'm not mistaken." The man picked up, how does he know so much about us?? Well, the press... I answered my own question.

"We have been meaning to visit, we could drop in and surprise him." Rick continued for us.

"Does this mean, we can count on you, one last time?" he asked as he handed me the eye.

"Of course it does, you didn't even need to convince them. They would've cracked easily once you left." I laughed gazing at the eye. I was excited to get packed and head out for something so random.

Shanghai, CHINA

CHINIESE NEW YEAR, 1947

The fireworks lit up the sky as we pulled up to Imhoteps. Walking inside the place was beautifully decorated in luxury. My mothers brother always had a desire for the more expensive. The girls danced in adorned Egyptian costumes as the jazz band played music to accommodate the guests.

"Hi, can you buy a drink for me?" A French women came up to Alex running her hand down his chest in a seductive manner. I rolled my eyes and continued walking up to Jonathan.

"Alex, Alex!! You're back again! Come here, Alex! Let me get you a drink. John's special, for the top Pharaoh explorer." My Uncle Jon said completely ignoring me as per usual. Alex was always his favorite. I walked past Jon and up to the bar to order myself a drink to block out both the idiots I had to deal with.

"Make that two. Sorry Uncle Jon, but... I got a better offer." He said looking the girl up and down as she waltzed away from him.

"No, no Alex, no, look, listen, huh... Okay, come here, to put it in archeological terms... that's the Tomb, in which many pharaohs' have laid." Jon tried to convince Alex otherwise. He looked at me raising an eyebrow as I downed the rest of my drink cringing at the stiffness.

"Now listen, listen just think about me for a moment, alright? Your discovery is going public in a few days your parents are sure to find out. They're not gonna be happy, you dropped out of school." Jon tried to reason with the boy.

"Will you relax, uncle John, okay? I'm here, and they're a long way away. Excuse me, okay? I have some excavation to do." He took a glance at me and headed after the girl once more. Fucking dumb shit.

"Jonathan!" I knew that voice behind me. Aunt Evy. Shit. We were dead. I quickly made my way to Alex to warn him that his mom was here.

JOSEPHINE'S POV

"You're in China! Evy!... Rick! Joe! What're you? It's so... Nice, for you to drop in! I had no idea he was here." Jon scrambled for words. Oh no, I immediately knew something was not right.

"Who's here?" Rick asked sounding just as confused as I was feeling.

"Who?" Jon tried to divert. I grabbed him by the jacket he was wearing.

"Who's here Jonathan and try not to lie to me." I told him as I shoved him against the bar. However, before I could get a word out I heard some shouting and quickly let him go as someone burst out of the kitchen doors and glasses shattering.

"You stay away from her." I heard the yelling continue and Alex stumbled backwards away from whatever danger he was facing falling over a table crushing the glasses in his wake.

"Uncle Rick??" the words stumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"Alex?" Rick spoke jumping over the table to help his nephew.

"I'm gonna kill you kid." I heard the words and immediately knew the person we would be dealing with. Mad Dog McGuire. He took a swing at Alex and Rick immediately stopped it grabbing his hand before it could catch Alex's face, I reached for my knife.

"Not so fast. That's my-- nephew."

"Mad-Dog McGuire??!" Rick let go of his hand.

"'Ricochet' O'Connell! And Joe! My god I never thought I'd be seeing either of you guys again." He quickly pulled us both in for a hug.

"Alex, sweetheart, are you alright?" Evy asked running up to Alex.

"Friends, it's just a little family reunion so, let's get back and have a good time. Music!!" Jonathan exclaimed making the club reignite with music and lights.

"How long has it been?!" Rick asked the man standing in front of us.

"Egypt, 23, French Foreign Legion." He laughed looking us both up and down.

"This guy can land a plane on anything." Rick said looking back to Evy and Alex.

"Ricochet, let me tell you, he had his hands on my little girl. Now, nephew or no nephew, I gotta give him a beating." Mad Dog continued to say.

"Oh yeah, what you gonna do?" Alex said trying to get past me, I pushed hi back into his place as Rick pushed him back again to Evy.

"Back off!" Rick told him staring into his eyes to tell him to let go of the situation. That's when I saw my kid walk up behind Mad Dog.

"Victoria!! What in the hell are you doing here??" I asked my daughter. She just stood there her head held high not saying a word as I held my own ground.

"As much as I really would like to teach him a valuable lesson." Rick started as his eyes drifted to see Tori behind him.

"His mother would be upset, very upset." Evy continued the conversation for us.

"You have a lot to explain young man." Evy was too enthralled with Alex she didn't notice Tori.

"Things are a little bit different, I'm sure you understand." Rick started. He glanced at me to go to Tori. I walked over to her behind Mad Dog.

"Tori, we have tons to discuss but I'll let Evy yell at you for this." I started she looked into my eyes a bit terrified.

"Sorry, mom." Alex tried to reason with Evy.

"I'm just surprised to see, that's all. Alright?" Evy tried to calm herself down.

"I'm not here 5 minutes, and I'm already pulling your fanny out of the fire. You're going back to college." Rick walked up to Alex as I brought Victoria over with us.

"I think it's not gonna be worth it. You two show up, and tell me what to do?" Alex said trying to make us back off. Tori went by his side and grabbed his arm to stop him from doing something or saying something rash that he might end up regretting.

"Honey! We should sit down and discuss this like a family." Evy tried to reason.

"No offense mom, but we haven't been a family in a long time." Alex continued to be a complete jerk, I couldn't handle it, I took my hand and slapped him across the face.

"Don't you dare talk to her like that, do you know how hard it was for her to raise you without the help of your father." I yelled at him.

"Mom..." Victoria started. I ignored her. Generally, l in this situation I would be done and walk away but unfortunately I couldn't do that here. Alex ended up doing it for me.

"Hey, don't you turn your back on me, Alex!" Rick tried.

"Alex, don't... Alex, come here." Jon now tried again to reconvene our family into somewhat of a structure. Evy sighed.

"Aunt Evy, mom, dad... I'm sorry he's just pissed." Tori tried to help us out to comprehend the situation.

"Let's go up to the roof maybe make some sense out of this situation." I said to my family. They followed me up to the roof.

"What happened Tori?" I asked my daughter.

"We dropped out to get some sort of comfort in adventure, it was you guys that was always rubbing it in our faces... We needed something else, something new, something incredible to live up to you. I think Alex just got lost in that... Also the fact Uncle Ardeth isn't around probably doesn't help the situation." Evy looked down at the ground ashamed.

"Alright. So we fix it. Together." She told us looking to each one of us. I smiled at Rick as the thought ran through my head, how did we get so lucky with our family, sure it was a little dysfunctional but here we were, ready to take on the adventure and struggles together.


	5. Fireworks

We all sat in the car in the crowded street waiting to get through the traffic that had coagulated on the road. Which made sense because Chinese New Year was in full swing. The car was crammed, it was hot and I was just not having it and Jon was starting to get on my nerves.

"I think walking is faster, or if we take a ricksaw." Rick said unhappily rubbing his face with his hand. He then looked at me through the mirror to see if I was doing okay.

"It's Chinese New Year. Don't you love this country? With so many extra little holidays and drinking is mandatory." Jon chimed into the conversation hoping to ease the tension but failed horribly. I scoffed looking out the window to see the fireworks going off.

"I can't believe, we get to see your first big discovery. It's so exciting." Evy said to both Tori and Alex happily, stroking Alex's face with her gloved hand.

"Well, after last night... I'm surprised, you want to see it at all." Alex told Evy, yanking his face away from her hand. Rick rolled his eyes and Tori huffed seeing that reaction out of her dad. Our emotions were strained and I didn't want to upset anyone with my own internal uncomfort.

"This car will pick you up in about an hour." Jon told us as we passed through a gate to a pretty large house.

"You're not coming?" Evy asked our brother.

"No, no. I've seen enough mummies, to last a lifetime." Jon replied happy to finally have a way out of the action. Something told me he would get pulled back in eventually. We walked into the house slowly and cautiously not really knowing what to expect from Alex and Tori's professor. Roger was a strange man to predict you never knew what would become of something when going into business with the man. He was a lot like Beni and I didn't like him.

"There he is." Alex said as we rounded a corner into a large room with a ginormous sarcophagus in the shape of 4 horses pulling a carriage with the emperor on top.

"Oh, my darling, very impressive. When do you get to open the sarcophagus?" Evy asked Alex.

"Well, I have to wait til the official red tape's been cut." Alex recalled. I saw Tori huff out of the corner of my eye. Something was up with her and I would be finding out about it as soon as I could. She hid her emotions well like I did but right now she wasn't doing too hot.

"The words 'Rest in Peace' mean anything, to you two?" Rick said to us all. Not too eager to jump into another mummy adventure. We started our walk around the beautiful sculpture.

"So mom, why don't you stick around for the next few days... and we can open it together?" Alex said to Evy, Tori smirked a little. I was busy observing everyone in the rooms energy. Reincarnated princesses tend to do that after learning from the past two adventures what we have screwed up.

"I'd like that very much, thanks." Evy said still looking at the statue in awe standing at the front.

"Alex... huh, won't you go and tell Professor Wilson that we're here?" Rick told him.

"No problem." He said as he walked back around the rear and out of the room to go find him.

"Okay." Rick smiled forcibly. Alex suddenly stopped and spun around to say one last thing before he made his exit.

"Oh, just... don't wake the big guy up, while I'm gone." He said sounding genuinely worried.

"I won't let them Alex, don't worry." Tori said there was a glimmer in her eye. Evy and I started walking around the horses I reached out touching their necks missing my own horse at home. I admired how intricately they were made. Rick was whistling throwing around the Eye of Shangri La. He stopped and his whistle got lower as he noticed me, Evy walked onwards as I stopped immediately noticing where Tori had gone talking to Evy about the Eye.

"What?" I asked Rick curiosity in my voice.

"Oh, there's a certain glow about you, I haven't seen in a long time." He told me. As he sauntered up to me near the horse. He put his hand on my cheek. I smiled leaning into his touch. I missed him after my long couple years working for the Army.

"I guess Mummy's and battles bring out the best in me." I smiled at him opening my eyes. He leaned forwards to kiss me.

"Take a wrong turn into Cairo? Sorry to interrupt." Professor Wilson interrupted as he walked up to Evy and myself.

"Roger." Evy said as she walked over to him meeting him halfway Tori behind her. I stayed behind with my husband.

"Professor Wilson." I smiled a fake smile as I pushed Rick a couple steps away from me. Holding out my hand for the old man to shake.

"Hello, Rick." He said as Rick moved up to join us.

"You know, when Alex told me... That you had gone legit, I just couldn't believe my ears." Rick said clearly trying to play nice but not doing so well at it. I elbowed him in the ribs to try to signal he needed to make a better effort. He made a squeaking noise and then straightened up glaring at me with his eyes. I knew he didn't trust him and neither did I. But we couldn't really do anything right this second about it.

"Well, now I just pillage Tombs... In the name of preservation. Josephine!" He roped me back into the conversation unwillingly. I put on my fake smile and the words just tore out of my mouth.

"Congratulations, on your latest discovery." I said through gritted teeth. No idea what in the world compelled me to say that. It was NOT his discovery.

"Alex and Tori deserve all the credit, he's one hell of a kid. He's like a son I never had." You could really see he favored Alex as opposed to Tori. Fucking men. I rolled my eyes. Tori saw this and stifled a laugh.

"He's the only one I've got. So, next time you send him on one of your field trips... you give us the heads up first." Evy said to Roger, making the air feel a bit awkward.

"Yes, yes, of course. And now I believe, you have something that belongs to us." He nodded agreeing with her trying to break the tension between them.

"What's that?" Evy asked trying to pull a little prank. Looking to Rick.

"Hmm... Oh, you mean this?" Rick threw the Eye up from behind him and caught it. I looked away really kind of hoping he would drop it but he did not. He continued to fake us out and continued his shenanigan I rolled my eyes and Tori giggled a little at her dad. He finally handed it over to Roger.

"I knew I could rely on you two." He said.

"I'm afraid your work is not done yet, Mr. and Mrs. O'Connell." A new voice came out of no where. I wondered where Alex had gotten off to because we needed to get out of here as soon as possible.

"I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine... General Yang." Roger said as he pulled a gun on all of us. Oh dear god here we go again.

"Roger!" Evy exclaimed as she danced behind me pushing me forwards into the line of fire, thanks sis.

"Well, he is the man who financed Alex's dig... We're in this together... Body and soul. General." He told us as he handed the Eye to the general.

"Search him." The general ordered.

"'The Eye' belongs to Chinese people, you can't do this." Evy exclaimed unhappy this was happening again. As another girl came out from behind the general.

"So, Rog, you snake. How much did... Uh, Yin and Yang pay you?" Rick asked. As he roughly got searched he gave me a look as if to say you brought weapons, didn't you? As his got stripped from his person.

"Enough to pull strings at the foreign office. Make sure it was you two who delivered 'The Eye' we never really cared for Evelyn." Roger answered our question.

"Turn around!" Roger said roughly.

"'The Eye' contains the elixir from the pool of eternal life." The general kept going as he held the eye up and examined it.

"I need you to open it, Mrs. O'Connell." He looked at me. Ah fuck I really did not want to do this.

"No, I don't really feel like it." I played around with him a little. Predators love to play with their prey beforehand.

"You're going to use it to wake the emperor, aren't you?" Evy asked him.

"And his terracotta army. At least that's the general idea." Said Roger chiming in at the best time.

"Raising an army of Mummies is insane. Listen Yang..." Rick said as he got hit. I looked at Evy she was holding a knife and I was just about to pull one as well when Roger turned the gun on Rick I stopped what I was doing. Evy got attacked and the knife flew out of her hand, we weren't getting anywhere fast.

"Time to open the sarcophagus. Move it!" I looked at Tori, her eyes were wide and I gave her the same look Rick had given to me earlier. She shook her head and mouthed that she was sorry. Rick was being led up to the actual coffin where the emperor was held and I was being restrained by some goons.

"Read the inscription, now!" the general ordered as he held out the egg to me.

"Ancient Chinese isn't really my forte." I told him.

"Here is some encouragement. Wilson!" Roger pulled the gun on Rick again as Rick picked up a wrench to open the sarcophagus.

"Don't do it!" I told him, acting scared. Otherwise we would never get out of this.

"No Joe, don't do it. They're just gonna kill me anyway." Rick tried with me. I looked at him then at Tori. She shook her head again.

"The inscription says, that only a drop of blood from a person of pure heart can open The Eye." Evy said stepping up, taking it right out of my hands.

"Your husband was right." The general said as he changed his aim to Rick.

"No!" I told him and moved his gun on me.

"If your so keen on killing someone. Just kill me." I told him.

"Only the pure at heart, will sacrifice themselves for the one they love." The general said to his gooney scar face.

"Open it." I heard Wilson say and clinking of metal against metal. The girl grabbed my arm I knew that fighting when we were out numbered wasn't the best idea so I didn't fight it as much as I knew we could. I watched as scar face took out a really fucking huge knife. At that moment I decided fuck it. I punched her in the face as hard as I could and Rick did the same to Wilson. She grabbed my arm from behind and scratched my finger with her dagger. I looked at Rick. My blood dripped into the egg turning it's color pink. The snakes came alive and slithered away as the crystals of the egg came through and turned into some sort of flower.

"Get on with it, O'Connell." Wilson said calmly. I heard Rick clinking away again.

"Alright..." He mumbled taking a huge swing and pulling at the lid. He got it off and slid the top off.

"Once this touches his hand The Emperor will rise, to rule again. Finish him off." The general said as he walked towards the coffin. I looked around looking for Tori to see her nowhere in sight. I then realized she was on a rope swing with Alex in tow. Alex kicked over the General and Tori and some new girl I didn't know also helped with the fight. Against our efforts the eye was already knocked over into the coffin where the emperor would rise again. Shit. Rick jumped off his perch and slid to get his guns. I reached for my knife hidden near my leg, I cut the bitch who I had named scar face and sliced her up a good amount before I broke her arm. I climbed onto her shoulders and twisted my legs around her neck.

"It's a decoy." I heard the new girl say. I almost smiled however, the cracking of metal caught my attention that something wasn't right and we still were in trouble. I let the bitch go, by tumbling us down to the ground and threw her into some boxes. She would live another day as much as I wanted to kill her. The metal continued to separate and I saw some hands appear in the facial area and the horses eyes come to life. Their hooves clambered on the ground. There was an explosion when the emperor finally broke out of his house for the last couple decades. I went flying towards Rick.

"Here we go again." Rick mumbled near me as he slid both Evy and I a gun. We all started shooting the emperor Alex and Tori included the stone started chipping away from his face. The emperor didn't really enjoy that so he blew fire at Rick and I.

"I live to serve you, my Lord. I can help you become immortal." I heard out of the explosion. God damn, there's always that one idiot who will turn with the villain.

"If you are lying, you will burn." I heard the emperor say back to him as he re-stoned his face.

"Wait, wait, you wait for me! I'm coming with you." Wilson tried to get on the carriage as his exit as well but the emperor just sliced his head of with his burning hot hand. I watched as Alex, Tori and this new girl just slid under the carriage and hitched a ride underneath. The horses started galloping away through the glass windows and tearing off the gate that surrounded the house.

"We gotta put that mummy down fast. The longer we wait, the stronger he gets." Rick yelled as Evy and I followed in tow behind him. Rick ran into traffic immediately stopping a car. The man was yelling at him to get out of the way.

"Yea, yea, yea, I know, you better get out, there's a Mummy on the loose." Rick said to him as he threw the man out.

"You wanna drive?" he asked me.

"Why not?" I countered sliding into the drivers seat with Evy next to me.

"God, I love a woman, who can drive a truck." He said to me as he climbed on top.

"Happy New Year!" Rick said to him as he threw money at him. As I sped through the streets I saw Jonathan near his car. He jumped out of the way as his car got mauled by the carriage and horses. I screeched to a stop near him.

"Jonathan, get in the back." Evy yelled to him from beside me.

"You guys are like Mummy magnets!" I heard my brother yell from behind me.

"Excuse us." Evy yelled to the pedestrians in the street as I maneuvered around them.

"Stop messing about, he's getting away." Evy continued to yell at our boys.

"Eves they're getting fireworks on top ready." I told her in a sing song voice trying not to bite her head off. Rick banged on the top of the car

"Aim for the Emperor! Light the fuse." Rick told all of us.

"I'll try." Jonathan whimpered out.

"Fire!" Rick yelled.

"Did we get him?" Jonathan asked us.

"Fire!" Rick yelled at him.

"Fire? What?" Jon asked him.

"Your ass is on fire!" Rick yelled at him.

"My ass?" Jon seemed confused.

"Hold still, I'm trying to put it out!" Rick yelled at him.

"My ass is on fire! Put me out, Rick!" Oh the fucking mess we've made.

"Spank my ass! Spank my ass!" I burst out laughing when I heard that.

"Where're you going?" I heard my passengers yell at me.

"Shortcut!" I yelled back at them.

"Joe!!!" I heard Rick protest.

"I told you, it was a shortcut." I yelled back at him.

"Wow, now they're chasing us." Rick said back to me.

"Joe here, here you'll need these." Rick told me. I spread my palm for him. He placed some bullets inside.

"Don't wait for me." He said to me.

"Where're you going?!" I yelled at him.

"Out." Fuck I smiled at him I knew where he was going but all I needed to focus on right now was keeping the rest of my family safe.

"Where's Rick?" Jon popped his head in the car.

"Where'd you think?" Evy answered for me. I smiled at her. I looked out the window and saw Rick jump on a horse and cut it loose, the horse bucked and immediately reduced it's speed. Rick started yelling at Tori mostly. The horse started going crazy once again, probably some sort of mummy magic. I saw Rick come back up in my mirror riding a headless horse.

"Evy take the wheel and pull Jon in." I told her she nodded and I leaned out the window shooting as the emperor came up beside us. I was driving after Rick with a truck on fire seemed absolutely family safe. Fucking fool proof. I saw everyone was sliding in different directions. Rick was hanging from a banner. So safe enough.

"Guy's we're going to have to jump!!" I yelled at my siblings as I let my foot off the gas and climbed outside the cab. Jumping and prepared my legs for the impact. Even so the impact hurt like a bitch. I was getting too old for this shit. I laid on the ground my hair around my face. I was covered in bruises and scratches I immediately felt. I knew there was more of this to come but I needed a reason to keep going. Tori. Rick. Jon. Evy. The reason was there, the motivation to put down another mummy that wasn't my own was not. The kids needed to do this on their own.


	6. Heart to Heart

Evy flagged down a cab for us and we all piled in after of course I had peeled my broken body off the ground. Jon slipped out of the cab quite literally when we got to our destination. Rick pulled him up not happy with his antics.

"Rick, Rick could you get the cab?" Jon asked I rolled my eyes pulling out a $20 from my bra.

"Does it look like I have a wallet?" I heard Rick ask Jon sarcastically. My family all got out and into the club before me. I gave the money to the driver thanking him for not asking us questions. Jon put some ice from behind the bar into a pitcher and started pouring us drinks. Rick took the ice and poured it into a napkin promptly wrapping it up, took the drink and downed it before putting the ice on his crotch. Jon had his own ice putting it to his head and drinking the whiskey in his hand straight from the bottle. I rolled my eyes. God that was getting common, as much as I loved my family I was tired of them.

"You know I would've killed the Emperor, if you two hadn't blown my cover. I had everything under control." Alex said as he took his tie off from around his neck.

"Oh, yeah, that's exactly what we were thinking." Rick started, I walked up behind him and gripped his shoulder telling him to pipe down. He tensed up and then relaxed into my touch.

"Oh yeah, good going, you raised another Mummy." Alex said as Tori sat quietly next to her aunt.

"And this bugger has superpowers." Jon threw in.

"He's got control over fire, water, metal and who knows what else." Alex continued.

"And you dug him up anyway." Tori started.

"You ain't gonna pin this one on me okay, Tori? You helped quite an awful lot if I remember correctly." He yelled at her.

"HEY!! Don't you yell at her, you both had equal parts in this, there's no use placing blame." I jumped in before it could get ugly between the two cousins.

"Stop it, all of you! No one's to blame here. Wilson manipulated all of us." Evy said as she forcefully pulled off her fake eyelashes from the night.

"Well, that's true." Rick agreed with her.

"I apologize for my parents. But, I... I thought, we worked really well together." Alex said to his new friend. I saw Evy and Tori get curious about the new woman who joined our little gang.

"Except we failed." She told him, she was an interesting one. Seemed not very caught up with the new times, judging by her outfit.

"I'm sorry, we haven't been properly introduced. Who are you exactly?" Evy said waltzing up to the young woman.

"My name is Lin. My family has watched over the Emperor's Tomb for centuries. The Emperor can not be killed, unless he is stabbed through the heart with this..." She had dark hair with some purple highlights mixed in. She was quite pretty in her own way. I admired her she kind of reminded me of myself at that age as she pulled out a unique looking dagger.

"My mother put a curse on it long ago." She told us.

"Mhmm... Quick family meeting, Alex?" Evy said as she eyed the dagger and looked at Alex as to why he brought this strange woman along with us. She purposefully walked us into a family meeting not too many feet away from the newcomer. Tori walked over to us with Alex, Rick and I as Jon leaned over the bar to participate.

"Sit. Down!" Evy told him, breaking up the two words and sounding quite commanding.

"Well. What do you really know about this girl?" She questioned Alex with a light questioning tone.

"Well, not much. But after I helped, I'm willing to go on a little faith." Hmm those words sounded a bit familiar to me. I nodded.

"Fai..." Rick started to talk but was cut off by our new friend.

"Time is running out." Lin stated walking up behind me.

"You do believe in the concept of personal space, don't you?" Rick asked as he stood up put his arm around me pulling me to his chest closely watching the woman.

"If the Emperor reaches Shangri-La and drinks from the pool of eternal life he will raise his army, and no one will be safe." She told us trying to get us to move forward with our task.

"I just kinda like to say this, boys stay handsome forever. Shangri-La is crock." Jon added, he knew this area better than us seeing as he's been in China for a long while.

"You know, that's what you used to say about Mummies too, Jon, you did pretty well with it." I told him gesturing to the place 'Imhoteps' we were currently in.

"Well said." He smiled at me.

"The gate way to Shangri-La lies in the mountain pass, high in the Himalayas. Beyond it, is the golden tower. Once the diamond is placed on top it will point the way to Shangri-La. Yang still has the diamond, and that is where he and the Emperor will go." She told us.

"She's right, all the legends of "The Eye" mention the gateway." Evy added in. Starting to believe Lin and the story she was spinning. China was not my forte so we were in good hands with Evy and the kids who have been studying it, Jonathans knowledge would get us far in the city not so much the mountainside.

"I like her, Alex, she knows what's what." Jon added into our family meeting.

"Let's just say, that we were to believe you. Could you guide us there?" Rick asked her again starting to get back into the swing of things.

"Yes, I have been there once. I remember the way." Lin said, Tori was looking down at the floor this entire time. I think she was jealous her cousin had someone else paying attention to him. Alex and her had always been attached at the hip. Just now was the time she was going to have to be without him, learn to be without him.

"Himalayas? Means we're going to need a plane." I butted in.

"Huh... I just know the "Mad-Dog" for the job." Rick said. I smiled at him though he couldn't see it as he was holding me. We had gotten a hold of Mad Dog and finally convinced him to let us come along for a ride on his plane. We all went to some stores and picked up a couple winter coats for us to traverse the mountain on without freezing our asses off. Then off to the airstrip we went, where I had planned on talking to Tori and see how she was doing.

Flying Death Trap

"I know, no self respecting pilot, would land on the valley floor but I don't have any self respect, so what I'll do is put you down the mountain half ways." He told us from his pilot seat.

"That still will give us the advantage." Evy told us all. I was sitting across from Rick next to Tori and behind Evy. Alex was behind me chatting with his new girlfriend.

"Sure, but no guarantee anyone will live." Mad Dog continued.

"Great." Rick smiled coyly. Looking at me as if to ask if we'd made the right choice. I shrugged.

"So, Tori what's wrong?" I asked her looking into her blue eyes much like her fathers.

"Nothing mom, can we talk about this later." She asked me as she was holding on for dear life not used to the turbulent flying of Mad Dog.

"I'd tell you, fasten your seat belt but I'm to cheap to buy any." Mad Dog told us, right on time.

"Why am I laughing?" I heard Rick say from beside me as he let out some fake nervous laughter.

"Here we go, be calm, it's safe and secure." He said as he started a massive descent where you could practically feel the G forces and 4,000ft. per minute descent. My family all started screaming as I looked out the window to see our wing clip the mountain. Then boom!! My neck snapped forwards as we had a 3 point landing that was very hard, we continued bouncing down the slope we had landed on, going airborne again for a few seconds then settling back to the ground. Hell, I could land this plane better than Mad Dog could. The fucking plane needed less speed to land on this goddamn mountain. It was a fucking downslope for godsake you needed way less speed then what we landed with. Fucking Mad Dog was insane, it's how he got his name. The plane then started tipping I didn't dare look outside. I clutched the seat in front of me.

"Don't anybody move! Nobody move! Nobody move!" Rick consoled us all by yelling those 2 words over and over again. Then finally we were on all three wheels as we leveled off on the ground. Mad Dog pulled his gloves off the yoke.

"Huh!" He grunted proud of his awful landing.

"What is that god awful smell?" Evy asked what all of us were thinking.

"The yak, yaked..." Jon said as I looked back at him, covered in yellow yak puke, most likely the hay it was consuming prior to our rough touchdown. Poor Jon had to ride in the baggage compartment with the yak so we could all fit. I stifled a laugh at my brother who was just having the worst of luck. We packed up our shit and quickly got out of the plane before it could shift anymore and fall off the mountain. Our walking sticks were out and we were traversing up the mountain. With Evy and I in the lead.

"Delta, tango, alfa, to Ricochet. Come in Ricochet." I heard Mad Dog on the comms.

"Delta, tango, alfa, this is Ricochet. Go ahead Mad Dog." Rick radioed back to our nutjob of a pilot.

"Rick, you know that Yang fellow, you told me to keep my eye out for he just showed up." I heard him say.

"Ricochet out, thanks Mad Dog." He thanked our colleague.

"It's thosepeople, let's go." He told me. I nodded looked at Tori who was trailing behind the yak. I stopped my path to walk next to her.

"Would you like to get some energy out?" I asked her as I caught up to her. Nodding my head over at my sleeping brother. She smiled enjoying my idea.

"JONATHAN, WAKE UP!" Tori screamed at him. He jolted awake and we continued on with our climb towards Shangri-La. It wasn't too eventful, scaling a mountain was hard work and a lot of beautiful views. However, not much was said among us. Which was good we all needed a little space from one another.

"Hold the line. We've reached more than half way, we'll gonna camp up there for tonight." Rick told our group as we approached an abandoned makeshift city is what it looked like.

"Hey Tori come help me get some wood for our fire." I told her making her come with me down the slope a ways.

"What's the matter with you, you've been down since we got here. Can't say it's got anything to do with the new girl, eh?" I asked her as she walked besides me.

"I just thought the pieces were finally coming together. Now it seems like nothing I do is good enough anymore." She told me her blue eyes welling up with tears.

"Oh, honey. You know that's not true. Look at how far you've come. Look at your accomplishments. I mean I wish you had finished your college instead of gallivanting off. Maybe you could be a director somewhere eventually for a big museum somewhere. None the less, you have made me so proud. The pieces will fall as they may, eventually, into the right places. You just need to have the courage to continue and the strength to learn from your mistakes. Not that this discovery was a mistake. You will be memorialized for it in the end. Take my word for it." I told her pulling her close to me into a hug as we reached our destination where the wood for the fire would be.

"Sit down." I told her. She followed my words and actions onto the straggled wood.

"You know, Alex is just figuring this out with you as well. Your not losing him, girlfriends will come and go. You will always be his family and there's no reason to get upset over that." I told her hoping that would cheer her up a tad. She smiled at me and put her head on my shoulder, Rick looked up from where he was a good distance away and gave me a look of confusion. I smiled and waved at him. He didn't need to know what his daughter was going through at the moment. We would keep this interaction between us.

"Regardless of the fact. Looks like Alex and his girlfriend are having a squabble right as we speak." I trailed off. Nodding towards the pair.

"We will find the gateway and we will figure this out sweetheart. Don't you worry about a thing, the pieces will eventually fall into place." I smiled looking at my husband who was cleaning out his guns he had brought with him. I stood up and looked at my daughter, nothing bad was ever going to happen to her not if I had anything to do with it.

"Well, feeling better?" I asked her she nodded and stood up beside me.

"Let's get some of this wood and head back over to Uncle Jon maybe he'll cheer us both up." I told her as I grabbed a couple pieces of the wood and headed back over with Tori in step behind me. We headed towards my brother who was most likely making conversation with the yak we had brought along with us from the plane. We set the wood down in front of the fire that was burning in front of Jon.

"It's not easy being me. Then again I don't suppose it's easy as being you is it, Geraldine old girl? Well, if I met a girl like you Geraldine. You know, hard working, you don't say much. A little bit hairy, but I don't mind that." He was talking to the yak, I knew it, just like he had the camel all those years ago. I smiled, I knew it this work, it would always work. I looked at Tori she was laughing and petting the yak. Better, things were definitely starting to fall into their places.


	7. Devestation

Josephine POV

The sun started to rise and woke me up rather annoyingly, I looked over to my family and saw most of them were already packing getting ready to leave. We started on our journey once again. My legs were getting tired of this constant up trek. In the British Army most of our hikes were on flat land, which I had grown used to but that was SO not like this. Whew I sighed I should really work out more.

"There it is! We found it!" Rick yelled out knocking me out of my thoughts.

"The gate way of Shangri-la." Evy breathed out rather impressed with the old building that was barely still standing with a rickety bridge linking us to the old structure.

"Go, girl, go. You're free. Go, Geraldine. Live free." Jon started yelling at his yak. Releasing her harness and letting her wander off. I smiled to myself, my brother really was something. Lin started running across the bridge. Really testing the old architecture there aren't we? Alex ran after her having no respect for his own life. I slowly took the first steps behind my husband onto the bridge I was terrified of heights and refused to look down and just focused on the back of his head. I stared at the back of my husbands head wondering when the last time we had kissed was. It had been a while, I would save it until we were out of this mess. Finally, I made it across and saw Alex was setting down his case as we finally made it across. Tori, Evy, and Jon jumping off the bridge behind me.

"What did you do now? Rob an armory?" Rick asked as he walked up to Alex.

"Have you ever seen a Walter P-38?" Alex asked Rick as they continued thorough this chest, of which he had told us was necessary to bring. Rick was the same way, I didn't need anything because I knew between the both of them, they would have us covered.

"It's pretty anemic, compared to a peacekeeper." Rick retorted, pulling out his old revolver.

"Well, it's not about size, Uncle Rick. It's about stamina." Alex tried to tell him. I rolled my eyes, wondering when Rick had rubbed off so much on Alex. They always shared some special bond.

"You want power? I give you the Thompson submachine gun. 50 rounds of power." Tori jumped into their conversation. Looking into her Dad's case and stealing the gun out. She smiled at me, proud of herself.

"The Tommy is good, Tori, but the cocking mechanism always jams." Alex told her smiling at her with a sparkle in his eye. Acting like this was his element. I guess since Ardeth wasn't around so much Rick must've took over in the fathering department. Didn't bother me.

"Here, check out the Russian PPS. personal assault weapon. Now this, is the future right here." Alex continued puking his knowledge all over my husband. I scoffed. Going to go stop them from starting another "my horse is bigger than your horse" argument.

"You know it's experience that wins today, it's not all about fire power." Rick told him a twinge of neglect in his voice that Alex wasn't as interested in his older weapons as he used to be.

"Boys, if I may? Do we have a plan for the Emperor?" Jon jumped in ignoring their previous conversation. Evy stood next to me not happy with their antics.

"Yeah, we're gonna hit him high, hard, and fast and smash him like a Ming vase." Rick said still peeved about Alex.

"And if that doesn't work?" Jon continued pushing.

"We go to plan B." Rick said.

"Plan B! You go upstairs, you blow up that gold tower thing. You light it up, and blow the guy sky high." Rick told him I smiled, Jon would finally be getting some action.

"Me?" Jon asked rather appalled he would even muse about including him.

"Well what did you expect Jon?" I laughed.

"You shouldn't have questioned Richard." Evy picked up for me adding salt to his emotional wound.

"Hey dad!" I heard Tori bump her way back into the conversation.

"What?" He asked expecting Alex had said that.

"If the explosion won't kill us, the avalanche will." She shouted to him annoyed he would snap at her. Rick in all honesty deserved this. I smiled proudly at Evy.

"You got a better idea?" He asked her calming down a little.

"Yeah I do, I set the ambush with a long range rifle, we..." Tori started but got cut off by her uncle. I would be having a conversation with each and everyone of my family members when this was all over about the neglect and utter wave off of Victoria.

"Long range that's better." Jon mused interrupting their conversation again.

"Gotta get close to him, Uncle Rick, then we can finish him off with Lin's dagger." Alex jumped his opinion into the mix.

"Look, I'm sorry, I just don't put too much faith, in your girlfriends magic dagger." Rick said accentuating the word magic. I smirked as I pulled out my guns, ammo, and knives out of my side bag.

"Okay, she's not my girlfriend." Alex told Rick going on defense.

"You say that now, but I still don't trust her." Rick said back to him. Tori smiled in the background of the gaggle.

"Well I do, so you should trust my judgment, okay?" Alex told him. Evy decided it was her time to clamber in.

"Look, Alex, we have killed more mummies than you can imagine. I think Rick knows what he's talking about. But of course we do value your opinion." She told him putting a hand on his shoulder. He brushed her off and Rick stayed quiet.

"You put down one Mummy, mom." He tried with her I was about to smack his fucking face again if he disrespected her one more time.

"Yeah, the same Mummy, twice." Rick added putting up two fingers for emphasis.

"Oh and don't forget the Scorpion King." I told all of them, proud of that accomplishment. We would not just glaze over that. It cost me my life last time. Alex walked away from us. I walked over to Rick's case grabbing a machine gun to use for the inevitable fight. I then walked into the city while Tori stayed with her father.

"Hand me the green wire, will you, please?" I heard Evy ask Lin near the golden tower. I walked up to her, I knew Tori would be alright with her dad, he would help her get her ammo in her guns and be prepared, we taught her that a while ago. She knew but it was nice quality time for her and her dad.

"Are you sure, you know what you're doing?" Lin asked Evy.

"Of course, she's done this a hundred times." I told Lin scaring her as I walked up behind her holding the gun in my hands. Looking for a place to hide later and get a good advantage for shots. It was a good idea to get a feel for this building. I walked back towards the entrance near a pillar.

"Let's give them a warm O'Connell welcome." I heard Rick whisper as he walked forwards a little more ahead of me. Our assailants reached the bridge.

"Fire!" Rick gave a short order. I did as I was told. It was a very long time since I'd seen him give orders like this. It was almost refreshing. I shot multiple men and saw one fly off the mountain I laughed inside enjoying this battle more than I should.

"Bazooka!" Rick yelled to us as I spotted the rocket launcher I moved away from my pillar and to another spot near the stairs to get away from the blast, I ran up the stairs knowing there was a higher vantage point that would hopefully give me some advantage. We needed to take care of those bazookas. I started shooting their launchers as Alex, Rick and Tori did the same still down near the entrance. Evy followed me up the stairs and almost ran past me I grabbed her arm and pulled her next to me. She held her gun at the ready and fired with me. A big explosion followed and soon there were many less bazookas then we started with. I smiled as I spun around changing my view from one balcony to the other that overlooked the inside the structure. I saw my husband, daughter, nephew and brother all down on the ground. I started making headshots to their enemies taking them out one by one. I had some sniper training so I was covered in the department and from what I was seeing Evy was doing very exceptional herself.

"Fall back! Move, move, move! Time to go to plan B, blow up the tower." Rick yelled as more soldiers flooded into the city.

"Actually, I'm a little bit concerned about plan B couldn't we just change that, to plan C?" Jon yelled to Rick. As he was cowering behind him.

"Just make it go bang. I'll cover you." Rick told him as he looked Tori in the eyes and shot side by side with her at their enemies. As more and more soldiers moved up the stairs my attention was taken away from my family and onto my own little problem. I shot at them taking them out until I ran out which was almost immediately. I quickly reloaded the gun while Evy kept us covered from dying. Once I was done, I quickly took over because I heard her gun click, she needed to reload and fast.

"My last one." She told me as we moved around the top balcony. I reached in my pocket to help us out,

"GRENADE!!!" I shouted unclipping the pin and throwing it at the people attacking us.

I headed back down some stairs with my sister in step behind me quickly running to get to where Rick and Tori were. We reached the bottom. I noticed Lin was yelling some gibberish into the sky. I take it back she was nothing like me. I ran over to where my husband and daughter were hunkered down behind some stones. I heard thuds overtake the gunfire the ground shaking beneath me, oh god I wanted nothing but to be far away from here at this moment in time. These GIANT white fur balls were running full speed towards us.

"Abominable snowmen??!!!" Rick yelled from his spot on the ground very confused as they ran through the gateway to the city.

"The Tibetans' call them Yeti." Evy yelled at him. Lin started speaking to them in an unknown dialect to me. They then ran off rather quickly with a very angry expression on their faces.

"She speaks Yeti?" I heard Jon question as he was hiding somewhere behind us. The soldiers got thrown many different directions as the Yeti took over our fight for us. Giving us a moment to breathe.

"Why do I always, have to save the day?" I heard Jon ask to himself as he climbed out from his hiding spot to crawl forwards. I followed Jon as he was only a couple feet in front of me. I was on my belly crawling in the snow it was to say the least uncomfortable. Snow was going up my shirt and I was already cold, so that really didn't help. My gun was strapped around my torso so I wouldn't lose it while I was crawling, when I reached Jon I squatted next to him giving him the best cover I could while he tried to light the wire Evy had set up with dynamite and explosives upon the golden tower. I watched him slowed as I realized he would need to go faster in order to get it to light.

"C'mon Jon faster, we don't have all day." I yelled at him as he struggled with the lighter.

"I did It! Oh, no... I did it." He yelled in success to me. I smiled at him realizing he was freaking out now and I needed him to get the fuck out of here.

"Time for a retreat, I think." I told Jon as we were still on the ground I helped him to his knees before we noticed a Yeti in front of us.

"I'm on your team, I'm a team player! One for all. All for me, kinda thing. The dynamite! All that dynamite we should... uh, get out of here." He stammered out his words. I pushed him forwards to the Yeti, hoping it would take him to safety. I ran towards the beginning of the tower and met up with Rick, Alex, Tori and Evy. The Emperor, wait I didn't realize he was already here. But regardless, he didn't look too happy, he grabbed an icicle. As he did this the ground beneath us started to form into inverted icicles.

"Wow! Back off!" Rick directed us. Evy started us by running far away and up some stairs with Tori behind her getting out of the way. The mummy let out an exceedingly loud yell and the yeti's started to retreat behind us. The Emperor started climbing the tower to put the diamond on top. Before I knew it I was running back past my family and right towards the mummy.

"Mom! Mom, what're you doing?" Tori yelled at me a strain in her voice. As I had started forwards, Rick grabbed my arm giving me a look that I could only see as don't make me resurrect you again. I nodded quickly before flailing my arm out of his grasp as I started to climb the same tower on the other side.

"Over here! Over here!" Alex started yelling as he saw Tori's face, a look of utter terror covering it. He pointed his gun in the air and shot off some rounds to try to distract our friend. He sent a fireball in his direction. I finally reached the top and started firing my machine gun at his stupid disfigured face. My rounds quickly ran dry. Suddenly, the ground beneath me turned to ice and I slid off the tower and back to the ground. I noticed the mummy aim a fireball at me I quickly got to my feet and started to run towards the stairs for cover. Just as quickly as I got there I was thrown off my feet and my back slammed into the stone I could feel my ribs cracking underneath me at the force and a huge pain immediately in my lungs I wheezed for air. But it felt like I was drowning, exactly like on the barge. I quickly reached into my jacket for my knife. Everyone else was distracted by the diamond pointing the way to the pool of eternal life. I stabbed the knife into my lung the blood pouring out gave me instant relief. I could breathe again. I couldn't move though, there was no way. I couldn't pay much attention because of how much pain I was in but I briefly saw Tori unwinding some dynamite and throwing it at the mountain, probably wanting to cause an avalanche to get the emperor to stop. I got up to my knees trying not to disrupt my already broken body as I saw the emperor get ready to throw a sword at Tori.

"RICK!" I yelled with the power I had left. I saw his blurry figure run towards her. He got stabbed through the chest my entire being froze, fuck.

"NOO RICK!!" I yelled, before I collapsed again back on the snow. The tears came quick as I started sobbing from my pain and from my husband getting stabbed.

Tori's POV

"Dad! Dear, God. Hold on dad, please, please hold, I'm sorry dad, I just couldn't resist." I told him. I looked into his eyes as he laid in my arms struggling to breathe.

"I'm alright, it's okay, I've been in worse scrapes than this." He smiled at me then stopped abruptly as the pain overtook him. He was trying to ease my emotions, nonetheless, my eyes welled up with tears.

"Avalanche!" I heard Uncle Jon yell. Alex was immediately at my side. Trying to pull us both away from the snow that was quickly coming at us. However, my dad wasn't moving, it would injure him more. The snow was stopped momentarily, by the emperors powers as I struggled to get my thoughts together and sorted out. I needed to do something.

"Help!!! Help me!" I yelled my voice straining and breaking as I was trying to collect my break down.

"Josephine!" I heard my aunt yelling slowly growing more and more distant as I focused on my father.

"Please, help me!" I said again clutching Alex's coat in my hands grabbing onto him as if he was my lifeline. His arms went around me holding me to him as the snow and yeti covered us.

"I'm over here, please, somebody help us!" Alex yelled from beside me.

"We're over here! We're over here!" I picked up for him my voice growing hoarse as it burned from yelling.

"Alex?" I heard Aunt Evy's voice getting closer.

"Mom, we're down here!" Alex yelled to her.

"Alex! Victoria!" She yelled once she found us. The Yeti popped out of the snow like a daisy and light flooded my vision.

"Oh, my God!" They got thrown to the ground beside us. Dad was very pale looking, he lost a ton of blood.

"We've got to take him to Shangri-La now, it's our only chance." My aunt continued.

"Hey folks we have a bit of a problem over here." I heard my Uncle say as I climbed out of the hole we were inside. Alex got picked up by the Yeti with my dad in his arms. I looked over to Jon to see him carrying my mother in his arms, she had passed out. Blood surrounded the snow she was on top of and the yeti that covered her was also carrying remnants of her blood, there was a knife in her side underneath her third rib.

"Oh my god." My hands covered my face, this was unbelievable. I couldn't handle this. My aunt was in front of me in seconds hugging me as silent tears fell down my face. Alex quickly jumped out of the Yeti's arms.

"Alex." Aunt Evy said.

"Jon, let's get going, they both need immediate attention." My aunt said solemnly as she handed me off to Alex. He held my face close to his chest stroking my cheek and wiping my tears away. It gave me some comfort in this devastating situation.


	8. Three Headed Son of a Bitch

Tori’s POV 

        We had pulled two doors off the city to transport both my parents to Shangri La. The Yeti’s were proving helpful from Lin as they were carrying both my mum and dad on the doors, they were actually a quite caring and loyal creature from what I’d come to learn. I did the best I could to hold it together, Alex hadn’t left my side, and both Evy and Lin were figuring out the best possible way to get to where we needed to be. Jon was lagging behind as per usual playing with one of my mums knifes, he’d let out yelps every now and then when he would cut himself from trying to do tricks with it. I was quiet and starting to lose hope as I watched both my parents in their unconscious state and tried to keep track of the blood they were losing was proving even more difficult. We had made shifted tourniquets and did the best we could to keep things in for my dad. Mum was different, we had left the knife in where it was and made sure not to move it. We had been hiking for around 3 hours and I was preparing myself for the worst. They were everything that had shaped me into the person I was. I couldn’t even imagine them gone forever and never being able to talk to them or see them again. All because I wanted to be more like them, to live up to their legacy. My mother was the one I looked up to most, she was brave and resilient, smart and quite frankly a bad ass. She survived WWII, trained soldiers who went in to fight battles and even fought some herself through the Nazi invasion. Although she had promised she never would, however, both my dad and I knew she couldn’t resist it. She was born for the adventure and wars.

“We made it!” Lin yelled to us slamming me out of my thoughts. I looked up and saw a hole in the side of the mountain. A tear slipped out of my eye as I realized we all might make it out of this alive. 

“The pool!” Alex breathed out as we made it inside, he started running towards the thing and a woman made to stop him coming out of the wood work I yelled for him. Lin stopped her from slicing Alex to pieces as she held back tears and hugged the woman who was going to attack Alex. 

“It’s her mom.” Aunt Evy told me. As we slid my mum and dad off their doors, Alex struck up a conversation with Lin’s mother and we were welcomed with open arms.

“Come.” The woman looked at me and smiled going to help us with both of my parents. We moved them near the pool that was surrounded by candles. She took a shell filling it with water and dripped it into my dads wounds first. He gasped and I smiled as Aunt Evy was next to his side. 

“Where’s Joe?” He asked her very tired. Evy’s smile dropped as she nodded next to him. He looked to his left to see my mom lying there breathing labored and still unconscious. He moved to be with her but Lins mother pushed him back down.

 “He must rest.” She said to Evy as she went back to the pool for more water for my mum. She set down the water next to her as she reached for the knife in her ribs. She grabbed hold of the handle and swiftly pulled it out and pouring the water into her wounds. Mom’s breathing changed but she didn’t wake up. 

“Thank you.” Aunt Evy said as she brushed a hair from mums forehead.

“They will be okay. We'll take them to my chamber.” Lins mom said a smile gracing her face as we prepared to move them. Once we had finished that I walked downstairs to be with Jon, he was going to be the only one to keep my mind afloat. As I walked up behind him I heard him mutter some words. 

“Well, it's not everyone, that gets their brother in law and sister, back from the dead. Yeah, I give me my first fore score year and 20 years ago anyday. Is this Shangri-La? I can live here, lots of opportunity... A casino!” Uncle Jon looked in awe off into the distance of the beautiful mountain peaks and valleys that were green as you could imagine. With rivers and waterfalls cascading down the rock with no end. I smiled.

"Think they'll really be alright and back to normal?" I asked him, clearly spooking him as he jumped about 10 feet in the air. Alex was basically just my shadow the entire time, standing guard behind me.

"I do, if anyone can pull through this it's both your mum and dad." Uncle Jon smiled and pulled me into his side. 

"They're strong as hell kiddo, you'll have your parents back in no time." He told me brushing my hair out letting me go, I walked back towards the stairs where the steps were that led up to Lin’s mothers chambers, where my parents currently were.

“They're resting all. Thank you. How did you get involved in all this? Alex asked from behind me as I was leaning up against the rocks watching as the mother and daughter interacted. 

“The Emperor murdered the only man I've ever loved, Lin's father. I would have died too by his hand... If the Yeti's had not found me, and brought me to this pool.” She looked lovingly at her daughter and took the knife out of her belt. Alex moved forwards inquisitive about the lady. 

“Huh... look... How this all happened is... even before Christ?” He looked dumbfounded and completely awed. I kept my ground at the rock wall. 

“And how long have you guarded his tomb? He asked again, curious about his girlfriends past now. I smiled softly, they could be good together.

“Over two thousand years.” Alex laughed and looked at Lin’s mother’s serious face showing no emotion. Then stopped. Ope she's old as fuck.

“The Emperor must never be allowed to reach the pool. Or he'll have the power to raise his army. And once he becomes immortal, he can transform himself into the most hideous creatures ever seen. I will take the first watch at the entrance.” Her mother said to Alex and lifted her gown moving towards the entrance of the cave within the mountain.

“Victoria!... Your parents are awake. Get up here!!” Jon shouted to me from above. I nodded, smoothed over my outfit off and readied myself for the new meeting with my parents. As I made my way up the stairs I noticed Alex and Lin having a conversation about their relationship in the future. I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily before I reached the top of the stairs where I found both my mum and dad laying in bed, conscious this time. Dad made a move to get up from the bed and threw his jacket on. 

 “When I saw you lying there, Dad. I've... I've never been so scared in my life.” I admitted as I walked up to his tall frame. 

“Well, that makes two of us.” He agreed with me. 

“I mean... huh, you're not supposed to die. You're "Ricochet" O'Connell, right?” I continued the conversation awkwardly. I sighed and dropped the face I was putting on. 

“Listen. I love you, you’re one of the biggest role models I have in my life, along with mom over here. You get beat up and tossed around but your not supposed to die. At least not yet. Not til I’m ready. Right?” I looked up into his blue eyes.

“Tori, the truth is I’m just trying to be a good husband, a good parent. The truth is, I’ve been dropping the ball lately and…”

“I don’t think you have. You’ve both done an amazing job raising me and I am who I am because of you. I keep Alex out of trouble… Mostly. But I want you to know that I love you and I cannot lose you.” I opened up. 

“Come here.” Mum said to both of us. I crawled up the bed towards her like I used to do when I was a little girl when I woke up from nightmares and wanted to sleep with both of them. She held out her arms for both of us and we hugged her. 

“I just can’t lose both of you at the same time.” I smiled as a tear fell down my cheek. 

“You won’t love, we have you. And we’re back.” She told me, letting me go and brushed my cheek of the tear that had fallen. A fireball tore through the temple shaking the bed on which we were laying. I rushed to the lookout to see what was going on. 

“His power has been fully restored.” Mom said from next to me. As she quickly rushed around finding her weapons and clothes rather quickly to prepare for battle.

“Time to go.” Dad said as I watched what was unfolding. Quickly realizing the emperor had turned into a 3 headed dragon and we had no chance. 

“Hey! You three headed, shape shifting son of a bitch!” Jon yelled from where he was hiding. We made our way down the stairs to see what was going on.

“He is taking her back to his tomb to raise his army.” Lin’s mom said to us as we caught up to her.

“Is there a faster way to get down from here?” Alex asked as he got up from where he was thrown. 

“The Yeti's can't help. But he's already in the air, It'll be too late.” She responded to him.

“Mad Dog can out fly a three headed lizard any day of the week. Let's go!” Dad said as we all rushed out of the secluded area to go help Lin and save the world.


	9. "Death is only the Beginning"

Tori's POV

Before I knew it we all were back in the plane, the way down the mountain was much easier than the trek up. I noticed out the window the dragon was nearby. Mum was quiet and dad seemed to be his usual self.

“Port-side 9 o’clock.” Mad Dog exclaimed.

“Hey Rick… Should I quit drinking?” He asked my Dad. Dad shook his head and then the conversation ceased. We quickly and quite abruptly landed in the middle of nowhere near the wall. I deplaned with my mum in front of me. We started walking again, I’d gotten my fill of exercise for the year. I just wanted to sit on the couch and eat cookies after this. After we deplaned Mad Dog took back off into the cloudy sky to bring reinforcements for us to fight off the emperor.

“Jonathan to Rick.” I heard the radio in my dad’s hand crackle.

“You'd better get move on... If you gonna beat him to the Tomb.” My uncle told us.

“Yeah, yeah, just get back here as fast as you can, for reinforcements… No sight seeing.” Dad told him sternly, looking angry at the fact that he had to do this again. I sighed, grabbing two guns for both my dad and I.

“Here, dad.” I threw him the gun. He caught it with ease.

“For me?” he asked looking thankful.

“Yeah. It’s Alex’s don’t get too excited you know knives are my forte.” I told him. He smiled.

“Just like your mother.” He chuckled.

“Now remember the terracotta army is not indestructible. Until they cross the great wall.” Lins mother chided from behind us.

“Well that’s comforting, how exactly are we supposed fend them off?” Aunt Evy asked as she racked her handgun putting a bullet in the chamber.

“When the Emperor built the wall, he buried his enemies underneath it then cursed their souls, to hold it up for eternity. Most of them were conquered soldiers. I will call them to battle once again.” Lins mother continued. I nodded and caught up to my mom to make sure she was alright.

“Unlock an altar, raise an army that sounds like a plan. Let's go.” Dad said to all of us huddled in the group. Walking closer to the wall, we picked a spot with rocks all around us so no one would get past us in their attempt to become immortal.

“You alright mum?” I asked her inquisitively.

“I will be when this is over.” She smiled at me tiredly. The fire that once was in those green eyes gone. I looked back to my dad he was looking at the scene unfold with binoculars perched behind a rock.

“Alex?” Dad asked he looked to his left to see him gone.

“Where'd he go?” I asked.

“Where do you think?” Evy asked both of us with a hint of sarcasm crawling up next to us. I looked through the binoculars seeing what I can only describe as the emperor rising his terracotta army speaking to them as if he was about to rule the world reminding me of Hitler. I quickly moved with my parents and Aunt moving closer to the chaos that was about to erupt. I stood behind a rock with Aunt Evy as my mum and dad were off to my right. Mom and dad moved forwards guns in tow even closer to the mess that was about to erupt.

“Today you awake to a world in the grip of chaos and corruption. I will restore order...I will retake what is mine. I will crush any idea of freedom.” I rolled my eyes at his lines, doesn’t he know this is not the world it used to be?

“I will slaughter without mercy. I will conquer without compassion. I will now lead you past the Great Wall.” I growled at that tightening my grip on the machine gun I held in my hands.

“Once you cross, you will be indestructible. I raised you for one purpose to enforce my will on the entire world!” He finally finished his speech and the army replied with a simple,

“Long live the Emperor!” The earth shook beneath our feet and a feeling of eeriness took over. I looked behind me to see skeletal zombies rushing towards us surrounding us with weapons of their own. Dad, mom, Evy & I spun around and saw them surrounding us, we pointed our weapons at them confused.

“These are uh… The good undead guys, right?” Dad asked, I smiled at Lin’s mothers work. One guy charged towards us and was about to throw his axe into my mom.

“No, no, no, no!!!” Evy yelled at them.

“Zi Yuan sent us!!” Dad told them stepping up in front of my mom.

“I don’t think they speak English.” Mom said to him.

“We're with Zi Yuan.” Dad tried again.

“Zi Juan?” The zombie fellow asked us.

“Right, right.” Dad breathed out happily as the guy continued off. Yelling stuff I didn’t understand fully. But we followed behind them running into battle. They started yelling more things as we stopped running. Mom and dad looked at each other like they had no idea what was going on. Evy just smirked.

“Incoming.” Dad said grabbing mom and running to shelter as to not get hit by the incoming arrows that were pelted at us. I followed them closely careful not to get hit.

“Hey, that's my favorite blue shirt.” Dad said upset his shirt got an arrow through the sleeve.

“I always hated that shirt.” Mom said back to him smiling. I looked over the rock we were behind seeing the undead being incredibly uncoordinated. One even took a shovel behind his head and turned, smacking the head of another guy next to him off his body I stifled a laugh. He fell down as the guy who swung the shovel attempted to put his head back on. Everyone started charging towards each other as my family stayed by the rocks.

"Tori? You liked this shirt right??" He asked me as he pulled the arrow out of his shirt. I just ignored him letting him have his moment. He scoffed and looked away upset no one seemed to like his favorite blue shirt. 

“Welcome to 20th century.” Dad yelled at the mummies barreling towards us. Mom started screaming as she fired off her shots. I pulled the trigger on the machine gun not expecting the kick back I got. Shooting the closer mummies to us making sure to conserve ammo. We started taking fire the mummies starting to just throw their weapons at us and dad decided it was time to go as we saw our zombies getting demolished.

“Honey! Fall back, to a higher ground.” Dad yelled at mom as he threw a grenade in their direction. We moved again up further near the wall. Our entire family ended up back to back shooting trying to move to higher ground.

“I. really. Hate. Mummies.” Dad yelled between shots.

“It seems the feeling is mutual.” Mom and Evy yelled back to him. One started crawling up to mom without his legs.

“Shut up, clay boy!” Mom yelled at him and hit his head like a golf ball into the sand.

“Run!” She yelled at all of us starting to crack out of her shell again. We all bolted up the stairs leading up to the wall. Shooting the mummies as we went. Mom ran out of ammo and got her knives out, this I couldn’t wait to see. Dad grabbed two swords waiting for me to run out of ammo and need one. But I had my knives I could take care of myself,

“Give it to Aunt Evy!!!!” I yelled to him as I ran out of ammo throwing the gun behind my back because it had a strap. I grabbed my knives out of my waistband as Rick threw Evy the sword.

“Next time I say, I've been in closer scrapes then this... I mean this!” Dad yelled at all of us. I hit the mummies, throwing knives to my hearts desire slashing them and breaking their shells. Clattering surrounded us as they fell around us. Next I knew there were airplanes above us firing at our enemy. Uncle Jon! 

it's time to hit back.

“Die! You Mummy bastards! Die!” I heard Jon yell distantly.

“Jonathan, certainly knows, how to make an entrance.” Evy said.

“Haha that’s his specialty Evy don’t you remember??” Mom yelled back to her as they went to fight side by side. As we prepared for the second wave we got a breath of fresh air when they were taken down for us.

“You okay?” Alex asked me as he rode up on a motorcycle with Lin in tow.

“Yeah, sure, no problem.” Dad answered for me. Alex rolled his eyes at him.

“We had it completely under control.” Evy told him as she walked up to her son.

“The usual, mummies, Nazis. The whole shebang.” Mom told him. Lin noticed something in the background.

“Mother! NO! Mother! Mother!” Lin yelled as she ran towards her mother. What happened?? We started to run with her. I guess she was part of the family now too since we were still fighting to keep her safe. Even though part of me still despised her for trying to kill me. Lin cradled her mothers head in her arms as she uttered out some more words to her.

“Pierce through his heart. You must live, okay? And fight on.” She uttered out. I crouched down next to them as Lin sobbed. She took her final breaths.

“She said, through the heart.” Evy said handing the knife to my mom. Knowing this was her speciality.

“Through the heart. Let’s go.” Mom said to me.

“What about me??” Alex asked.

“Stay with your mother. You’ve done enough.” Mom said to him I smiled. She was back. We jumped on the motorcycle Alex brought back and headed off towards the tomb.

“So mom, what's the plan?” I asked my mom looking for a bit of guidance.

“Divide and conquer, it’s what your father would say.” She yelled back to me.

“No offense, but isn’t that a little short on detail?” I asked her not trying to piss her off now.

“12 o’clock low!!” I told her warning her of the mummies on our tail, I reloaded my gun since now I had the time and started shooting to drive them away from us. 

“Hang on!” She yelled as she continued driving us to the entrance of the tomb. We crept in seeing the emperor levitating some planet looking items around in his hands. As they spun mom and I shot them down one by one. I stepped forwards into his view when he turned around to see what was going on as mom hugged the wall to get behind him.

“I dug you up... and I'm gonna put you back down.” I told him glaring into his beady little black eyes. He screamed at me when I finished the sentence jumping forwards and turning into some creature, I couldn’t possibly describe its origins. He threw me into a pillar I shook my head looking back up at him as mom crept up behind him and jumped swiftly onto his back stabbing the knife into his shoulder. He threw her off into a lit pot of fire she fell on the ground and crouched behind a dragon. He groaned in agony his claws going to his shoulder where he had been stabbed. Morphing back into a human form. Mom ran over to me to make sure I was alright.

“Tori?? You okay?” She asked me. I nodded looking at her still slumped on the ground. The emperor threw the knife at her unhappy with his new injury. She dodged it running and jumping away from it avoiding the blade. It split in two as it hit one of the stone figurines.

“Enough tricks! Where is your honor? Fight like a man.” Mom said as she jumped onto the globe in front of her. She ran forwards at him ready for some hand to hand. That’s all I saw before I came up with a plan of my own I wrote a division symbol in the sand to tell her what I was planning. She took the knife from the sand as she got knocked down and started to back him up for me. I watched her headbutt him and knee him in the stomach before I made my leap of faith I plunged the knife into his heart from the backside as she did the same with the front. Our knives met in the middle and she pulled it out they were fused together like it was forged inside of him. He started to melt away from the inside out. Dad, Evy, Alex and Lin came up behind us.

“Now you can rule—in hell!” She smiled at him. 

"Hey, that's my line." Dad told her smiling as the emperors face started to bubble. I backed up and turned around ready to get the hell out of here. As we walked outside the undead armies disappeared into dust. The soldiers of the wall started cheering for us before they too turned into dust in the wind. Finally at peace with the world. As we looked over the sand dunes I noticed a horse riding in from the west.

“Alex? Is that?” I started to ask him.

“DAD!!!” He yelled and ran towards him smiling like a child. Evy ran forwards as well ready to greet my uncle.

“I guess this will be the final story in Evy’s books.” Mom said smiling at dad. I rolled my eyes as they shared a sweet moment. I wish I had that but everything was in it’s place now and I finally had my adventure I’d been waiting for. I was happy and ready to go home.


	10. Apologies

        Lin was singing in the Casino beautiful notes falling out of her mouth. I had dressed up into this beautiful black floor length dress, hair and makeup done by Aunt Evy. I looked at the dance floor seeing my parents, Aunt and Uncle all together happily. I sighed walking up to the bar where Jonathan happened to be before he was planning on leaving. 

“Annoying, isn’t it?” Jon asked me.

“What?” I asked him as he came up to me 6 inches of oak between us. 

“Seeing them all together, happy with each other… In love.” He paused before he mentioned the last bit. I sat down on the stool in front of me. 

“Yes, actually it is. I feel a bit neglected.” I smirked as he made me an old fashioned. 

“Welcome to my world sweetheart.” He said looking me in the eyes. I sighed. He set my drink down in front of me. I happily gulped half of it before I started talking.

“I just feel like….” I paused looking off to my cousin who had just walked in happily trotting around in his tuxedo. Uncle Jon looked at me sadly.

“What? I’m fine.” I told him. Taking another sip of the drink.

“Mhmm..” He nodded then abruptly turned around.

“My Lady. Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?” I heard a voice behind me ask.

“Listen pal, I’m not really in the mood.” I said spinning around on the stool drink in hand to see Alex standing there smiling at me. I gripped my glass harder.

“What about for me?” He asked. I just put my drink down on the bar. 

“I guess I could spare one for you.” I smiled placing my hand in his. As he led me away from the bar I could see my mum and dad happily looking at us. We began slow dancing to Lin’s singing. 

“Tori…” He started. 

“Thank you for being there for me every step of the way. I really do appreciate you in a way you will never realize.” I scoffed looking away from his eyes. 

“I really do. Please Tori, I know I haven’t been the most open with it ever.” He lifted my chin up removing it from my hand but keeping his grip on my waist. 

“Come on. You can’t stay mad at me, I know you too well.” I looked into his eyes my feelings starting to spill out of the well kept box I had made. He let go of my chin and rejoined my hand as we danced. 

“Alright. Go on.” I told him with a clipped tone. 

“Listen, you’ve been my biggest supporter for a very long time now. I just-- can’t believe I’ve been such an ass to you recently. I’m sorry.” He told me. I let my gaze on him soften. 

“Now can we go back to before this whole adventure started?” He asked me seriously. Little did I know he had danced us away from the eyes of our parents and to a more secluded spot in the crowed club. I nodded at him. 

“I just feel like I’ve been tossed away like trash, too ugly to look at.” I told him looking down at our shoes while we danced. 

“Tori, even a blind man could see that your beautiful.” He bent down to catch my eyes, leaned in slowly and caught my lips in a romantic kiss. I melted then and there happy to be with him in this moment. Finally. Though it was a sort of stained love, being from the same upbringing, I was happy to know he loved me the same way I had him ever since we went off to college. 

 

JOSEPHINE’S POV

        I leaned into Rick happy to finally be able to spend a few romantic seconds away with him. I just took in the moment happily with Lin’s voice taking me into another time. 

“So, I guess our family is a bit skewed.” Rick told me looking over to Alex and Tori dancing with each other. 

“We brought her together with Alex. I don’t think it’s skewed. I think it’s wonderful.” I told him. 

“Fate?” Ardeth asked him dancing with Evy to our right. I saw Rick roll his eyes. 

“It might as well be.” I said smiling.

“I think it’s adorable.” Evy chimed into the conversation. 

“I guess I might be willing to accept the fact that fate may exist. After all, it brought all of us together. I’m still iffy on the ‘warrior of God’ aspect of it though.” Rick begrudgingly admitted to us. 

“So, I guess Dash and Scarlett have their next adventure?” I asked Evy.

“Why write about it, when you can live it.” She said happily to me.

“There's something incredibly romantic about vanquishing the undead.” She continued.

“Even more romantic, doing it with you.” Rick told me in a hushed tone.

“Oh my god. You’re going to kill me with the cheesiness O’Connell. Just kiss me.” I told my husband.

“Don't have to ask me twice.” He smiled and leaned in, I met him halfway. Once again we had finished up our adventure. I don’t think I could ever go on not doing another one like this again. I loved doing what I do, it kept me young. I smiled into the kiss knowing this—Rick and I, would never stop. I happily would be retired if that’s what he wanted til the end of time. We definitely had enough money to comfortably relax until we decided to adventure again.

 

JON’S POV

I saw Tori and Alex wander off to God knows where. I rolled my eyes everyone gets what they want in the end, except for me. I grabbed my suitcase and hat from behind the bar and made my exit looking back at my siblings one last time and smiling. I had sold the bar to Mad Dog and was sitting pretty ready to get away from the chaos. Maybe a Mai Tai on the beach, yes, that sounded good. 

“Where're you off to, Mr. Carnahan? Can I get your bag?” My old employee asked. 

“No, no don’t touch it! Oh, some place where they don't have Mummies.” I laughed as I got into the cab taking out my precious diamond I had managed to smuggle away from our adventure.

“Step on it, I have a plane to catch.” I told the cabbie.

“Yes, Sir.” He replied. I relaxed in the back as we made our way to the airport. 

“Ciao, Ciao Shanghai, Peru, here I come.” I told no one in particular but happy to get away from this country. Thank god. I kissed my prized possession hoping we wouldn’t find mummies where I was going. 


End file.
